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Blepharitis

Learn More About Blepharitis Care at Aurora

What is Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. It’s a common condition that causes red, itchy eyelids that can also appear scaly or crusty near the base of the eyelashes. Sometimes, the eyes get so crusty that they stick together after sleeping.

Blepharitis can cause symptoms such as burning of the eye, light sensitivity, the sensation of something in your eye, red, swollen eyelids, dry eyes and blurry vision.

Most cases of blepharitis are caused by oil glands in the eyelids that malfunction and produce too much or too little oil, or the wrong kind of oil. When this happens, your eyelid margins can become irritated, inflamed and itchy. There are other causes of blepharitis, including allergies, bacterial infection, acne rosacea, systemic medical conditions and some types of cancer.

Although blepharitis usually affects the eyelids, it can also affect the cornea and conjunctiva.

The symptoms of blepharitis can be controlled with proper treatment and eyelid hygiene. Many cases of blepharitis can be prevented by keeping your hands and face clean, avoiding rubbing your eyes and by removing any makeup before you go to bed.

How is Blepharitis Treated?

Because blepharitis can lead to more serious conditions, including eye injury and scarring, it’s important to take steps to control it. Aurora ophthalmologists will help you with a treatment plan that’s best for you. Home care and extra eye hygiene often is all the treatment that’s needed. Your ophthalmologist will walk you through the proper hygiene steps so you’ll know exactly how to care for your eyes when you’re at home.

Depending on the type and cause of your blepharitis, your ophthalmologist may prescribe additional treatments and medications. Some treatments may include antibiotic drops or ointments, medications and steroids. If blepharitis is a secondary condition, meaning it’s caused by another condition (such as allergies or acne rosacea), your eye doctor likely will prescribe additional treatment to take care of or control the underlying condition.

Please note: While you’re treating your blepharitis, you should avoid using makeup on or around your eyes.

If you have symptoms of blepharitis, contact an Aurora ophthalmologist to make an appointment for an eye exam.

Why Choose Aurora Health Care For Your Eye Care Needs?

When it comes to caring for your eyes and vision, you want the best. And at Aurora, our ophthalmologists in Wisconsin and northern Illinois are dedicated to providing the best, most advanced eye care and treatments available today.

Because Aurora eye care experts work within the entire Aurora Health Care system, they can offer you so much more than simple vision care. At Aurora, you’ll get:

Expert care at any hour of the day – At Aurora, we have board-certified ophthalmologists on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to care for you if you have an eye emergency – even if it’s at 3 a.m.

Care focused on you – Every one of our ophthalmologists believes that involving patients in the decisions that affect them, making them a part of their health care team, and making sure they understand their condition and treatment options is the best way to deliver outstanding care. At Aurora, you can expect us to focus on you, delivering the best possible care for you.

Immediate access to referrals – Aurora Health Care offers hundreds of specialists under one roof, as part of one integrated health care team. Some eye conditions are signs of other conditions, such as diabetes, vascular disease and neurological issues. If your ophthalmologist sees evidence of other disease during your eye exam, he or she can make a referral to another specialist and get you an appointment right away.

Convenient care in multiple locations – Aurora has eye care specialists in a variety of locations across eastern Wisconsin. We have clinics, hospitals and surgery centers that offer the entire spectrum of eye care.

Care for infants through senior citizens – At Aurora, we have eye care ophthalmologists who specialize in eye care for both adults and children. Our pediatric ophthalmologists are specially trained to diagnose and treat eye conditions in children.

Innovation – You can expect innovative treatments using the latest advancements in technology, including:

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin health care provider and home to Aurora St. Lukes Medical Center. At the Aurora Health Care website you can find a job, a doctor, our locations, including hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, classes and events, and complete information on your health. You can communicate with your doctor or pay your bill by visiting myAurora.

myAurora Maintenance

On Sunday, February 15th from 12:30 AM - 11:00 AM CST, myAurora and our electronic medical record system will be unavailable. During this time we will be performing scheduled maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.